At 9:19 PM on November 20th, Portland Fire & Rescue High Angle Ropes Team responded to aid in the safe removal of an individual who had climbed over the St. Johns Bridge. The individual had climbed down too far to safely aid in assistance from the railing along the road deck on the eastbound lanes of the bridge. The non-combative individual was quickly accessed and returned to safety uninjured. Although no injuries were sustained, the patient was transferred to a local hospital for evaluation.
Portland Fire & Rescue members of the St. Johns Station (PFR Station 22) arrived to assist police in a possible jumper mid-span of the St. Johns Bridge. The command officer assessed and requested the Technical Rescue High Angle Rope team to the scene. The tech team arrived and, after meeting with the first arriving members of PF&R along with members of PPB, they established a plan to go over the edge of the bridge, secure the patient, and return rescuer and patient to the road deck of the bridge.
Using the large fire engines and heavy squads as anchor points, the ropes team established a high point using the suspension cabling overhead to safely lower a rescuer over the edge of the bridge. After the patient was secured to the rope system, they were raised up by members of the 26 Portland Firefighters on the scene. The uninjured patient was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and any needed medical treatment.
